TBWA's Dru Elevates 2 Presidents

Rather than reconstruct the corporate layer of TBWA Worldwide, CEO Jean-Marie Dru has dismantled it.

In its place are regional and global chiefs who, although newly promoted, will continue to run their respective offices. The promotions are designed to empower the "doers" and force them to be less parochial, according to sources.

In the U.S., Carl Johnson, president of TBWA\Chiat\Day in New York, adds the title of chief operating officer worldwide—a new post—while Los Angeles president Tom Carroll takes on the additional role of president of the Americas.

Carroll, 45, fills a vacancy left by the departure of Bob Kuperman, who held a slightly different title: president and CEO of the Ameri cas. The promotions, which extend to Europe, are the first bold stroke of Dru, who recently replaced Michael Greenlees as head of the $6.5 billion global network [Adweek, March 19].

"This was an opportunity to move to the next generation of leaders," said Dru. "With people like Tom Carroll and Carl Johnson, you don't lose that opportunity."

Carroll played a key role in the shifts, par ticularly in determining "who's doing what," Dru said. His job will overlap with Johnson's in the sense that both will tackle organizational and strategic issues, such as whether to acquire specialty units or use the resources of parent Omnicom Group. The basic difference is that Carroll's focus is the U.S., while Johnson's is global.

Both Carroll and Johnson, 42, are expected to grow TBWA into a top-10 network.

"We have to grow and go faster, especially in New York, but L.A. as well," said Dru, 54. "At the same time, the three offices [San Fran cisco, New York and Los Angeles] have to work closely together."

In a statement, Lee Clow, TBWA Worldwide chairman and worldwide creative director, credited Dru with identifying the "strongest and most passionate group of leaders around the world," adding, "Everyone has the day-to-day job of delivering the network."

Sources described the new setup as simpler, more accountable and easy to understand. As one source put it, "It's meant to make it easier for everybody to align."

Rather than reconstruct the corporate layer of TBWA Worldwide, CEO Jean-Marie Dru has dismantled it.

In its place are regional and global chiefs who, although newly promoted, will continue to run their respective offices. The promotions are designed to empower the "doers" and force them to be less parochial, according to sources.

In the U.S., Carl Johnson, president of TBWA\Chiat\Day in New York, adds the title of chief operating officer worldwide—a new post—while Los Angeles president Tom Carroll takes on the additional role of president of the Americas.

Carroll, 45, fills a vacancy left by the departure of Bob Kuperman, who held a slightly different title: president and CEO of the Ameri cas. The promotions, which extend to Europe, are the first bold stroke of Dru, who recently replaced Michael Greenlees as head of the $6.5 billion global network [Adweek, March 19].

"This was an opportunity to move to the next generation of leaders," said Dru. "With people like Tom Carroll and Carl Johnson, you don't lose that opportunity."

Carroll played a key role in the shifts, par ticularly in determining "who's doing what," Dru said. His job will overlap with Johnson's in the sense that both will tackle organizational and strategic issues, such as whether to acquire specialty units or use the resources of parent Omnicom Group. The basic difference is that Carroll's focus is the U.S., while Johnson's is global.

Both Carroll and Johnson, 42, are expected to grow TBWA into a top-10 network.

"We have to grow and go faster, especially in New York, but L.A. as well," said Dru, 54. "At the same time, the three offices [San Fran cisco, New York and Los Angeles] have to work closely together."

In a statement, Lee Clow, TBWA Worldwide chairman and worldwide creative director, credited Dru with identifying the "strongest and most passionate group of leaders around the world," adding, "Everyone has the day-to-day job of delivering the network."

Sources described the new setup as simpler, more accountable and easy to understand. As one source put it, "It's meant to make it easier for everybody to align."